What is “Our Little Farm”?

This is hand-on, fun-educational program designed to give Charedi children positive nature experiences and an introduction to ecological concepts.

The indoor aspect includes stories, activities, and games that teach about not littering, not wasting, animal and plant life, and how the natural world works. The outdoor aspect involves preparing, planting, tending and harvesting their own mini-farm. The children grow and eat carrots, potatoes, watermelons and much more. The mitzvos of farming in the land of Israel are introduced in that context.

Our Little Farm is suitable for ages 4-8. We are currently developing a new program for ages 9-12, which will launch in the coming school year B”H.

Cost:

Our Little Farm usually costs about NIS 7,000 to launch the program in the first classroom. If we’ll be working with more than one class within a school, that reduces the per-class cost significantly. The cost includes infrastructure of setting up the mini-farm in the school-yard, plus 25 classroom sessions supervised by our qualified Ecology Guides. All our guides are graduates of Beis Yaakov seminary or Charedi yeshivas.

Funding:

Leshomra works hard to fundraise from caring donors in Israel and around the world to subsidize program costs by at least 50%. So if you can raise at least 50% from the school administration or community, we’ll raise the other 50%. That means that for just NIS 3,500, you can bring this program to your school for the entire year.

How to get it for free:

There a dozens of Charedi schools and kindergartens in Israel right now that are enjoying Leshomra’s program at no cost to them. This is thanks to our cooperation with municipalities that are matching our 50% of funding. We currently have such an arrangement with the municipalities of Jerusalem, Modi’in Illit and Bnei Barak. The municipalities limit the numbers of schools and set criteria for which are eligible. That means that we can’t promise that your school will be selected to participate in the free program.

We would love to expand to new cities, and also within those cities. We would especially love to partner with the municipalities of Beit Shemesh, Beitar Illit, Elad, and other major Charedi centers. So if you have contacts those cities, please contact us so that we can work together to bring Leshomra to your neighborhood ASAP.

How to Approach Your Principal

We have prepared a 4-page intro pack for you to present to your principal or other school contact. The pack contains: a short description of the program, including costs; a haskama letter from Rabbi Lipa Layush, Rav of the Green Park neighborhood of Modi’in Illit; and some photos of the program in action. All materials are in Hebrew. To receive the intro pack, please send us a request.

We recommend that you either email the intro pack to your principal or print it out and give it to them in person. Definitely include your own recommendation as to why you think Leshomra’s program will benefit students. Offer to arrange a phone meeting between us and the principal.

We have an excellent success rate working with Beis Yaakovs and Talmud Torahs. If you can set up the initial intro and call, we’ll take it from there.